SCOTLAND, ORKNEYS, SHETLANDS & FAROES
__________________
12 DAYS
This expedition-style cruise from Edinburgh to Edinburgh is your chance to discover legendary history and wild nature. Cruising aboard the small, luxury expedition ship, the Sea Spirit is the perfect way to visit difficult-to-access locations where tourist value far exceeds tourist numbers.
A highlight is Faroe Islands as “authentic, unspoiled and likely to remain so” designated by National Geographic Traveler. It seems that the Nature spares no colours in “painting” the islands. Deep-green hills, bright blue sea, colourful houses and boats, orange-red puffins’ beaks make the sceneries unforgettable, meanwhile traditional wooden dwellings with turf roofs look like they belong in a fairy tale.
The rugged Faroese are proud of their Viking heritage and their love of the sea. Exploring the archipelago including Tórshavn, the capital and largest city of Faroe Islands.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Edinburgh, Scotland | Overnight in hotel |
| Day 2 | Port of Leith, Scotland | Enjoy Edinburgh's old street and vistas of green hills and embark your ship this afternoon |
| Day 3 | Kirkwall, Orkneys | Visit the Westfjords area and Grimsey Island |
| Day 4 | Fair Isle, Shetland Islands | Lush grasslands and spectacular cliffs watch out for northern fulmars, kittiwakes, northern gannets, puffins, and great and arctic skuas |
| Day 5 | Lerwick | Walking tour of this historic town, Shetland museum, heritage and culture, historic lighthouse of Sumburgh, delight in the thousands of seabirds, puffins and beautiful wildflowers. Jarlshof, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the British Isles. |
| Day 6 | Papa Stour & Foula | Birdwatching including skuas, rich in folklore and history. Extraordinary cliff scenery including a variety of caves, stacks, arches and blowholes |
| Days 7 -10 | Faroe Islands | Tórshavn and Kirkjubøu, visit remote areas of this archipelago, orange-red puffins, traditional wooden dwellings with turf roofs, fairy tale scenery |
| Day 11 | At Sea | Sea Crossing to Edinburgh, learn about the flora and fauna of the British Isles with onboard lectures and briefings |
| Day 13 | Longyearbyen | Disembark and farewell your fellow travellers |
SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
SEA SPIRIT
The Sea Spirit was built in Italy in 1991. She’s a very comfortable ice-strengthened, small (114 guests), all-suite expedition ship. The vessel was updated in late 2010 and had additional refurbishment in April 2017. All suites have private facilities and exterior views. Some of the suites feature private balconies for enjoying fantastic landscapes of Antarctica.
She has a fleet of ten rubber inflatable zodiac boats for landings, an experienced crew, and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smooth sailing. This ship features an open bridge, 2 rear outdoor viewing areas, an outdoor viewing area at the front of the vessel, a bar, lounge, presentation room and dining area all lined with windows. There is also a gym on-board as well as a library and media centre.
Day 1 Embarkation Edinburgh, Scotland
Welcome to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and starting point of our expedition. The famous Castle rising above the city gives immediate evidence of Edinburgh’s rich history. While the Town area boasts medieval architecture, the New Town accommodates newer 18th century buildings. Each corner of Edinburgh’s old streets opens beautiful unexpected vistas of green hills or a blue flash of distant sea. In the afternoon, you will be welcomed aboard the luxury expedition ship M/V Sea Spirit. Explore the ship and get settled in your comfortable and spacious suite.
Day 2 Port of Leith, Scotland
Enjoy the morning and early afternoon at leisure. Each corner of Edinburgh’s old streets opens beautiful unexpected vistas of green hills or a blue flash of the distant sea. In the afternoon, you will be transferred from the hotel to the ship in the nearby Port of Leith. Before dinner, there’s time to explore the Sea Spirit, your home-away-from home for the next days.
Day 3 Kirkwall, Orkneys
This quiet town is the capital of the remote and amazing Orkney archipelago. First mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in 1046. Such a long history has left a rich heritage that we explore today. The most famous are the sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, considered the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland, the Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace.
Included tour “Ancient treasures of Orkney with St Magnus Cathedral.” Depart Kirkwall and head into the west of Mainland, Orkney’s largest island. Pass through rolling landscape of Orkney and into the Neolithic Heartland of Orkney; designated as a World Heritage Site. Passing the Standing Stones of Stenness, we will stop at the Ring of Brodgar; a huge ceremonial circle of stones dating back almost 5000 years. See the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae, beautifully interpreted in the visitor centre and the remarkable dwellings revealed from beneath the sand dunes by storms only 150 years ago.
Once back in the island capital we take a tour of St Magnus Cathedral, built by the Vikings during their 500 year reign over the islands.
Day 4 Fair Isle, Shetland Islands
Fair Isle is a real paradise for birdwatchers. Huge numbers of birds inhabits the lush grasslands and spectacular cliffs. Over 345 species have been recorded here – more than anywhere else in Britain. During your walk across the island, you can hope to see northern fulmars, kittiwakes, northern gannets, puffins, and great and arctic skuas.
Day 5 Lerwick
We come alongside at the port of Lerwick; on Mainland, the largest of the Shetland Islands. On a walking tour of this historic town we visit the award-winning Shetland Museum to learn all about Shetland’s fascinating heritage and culture. From here we take a scenic overland coach ride through the fertile countryside of Dunrossness to discover Shetland’s best destinations. Birders will relish the opportunity to visit the historic lighthouse at Sumburgh Head, the southernmost point of Mainland Shetland. These rugged cliffs attract thousands of seabirds and the grassy slopes above are particularly great for enjoying close encounters with puffins amongst beautiful wildflowers. Also on the itinerary is Jarlshof, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the British Isles. Here we discover beautifully preserved stone structures spanning 5,000 years of human settlement, including Bronze Age oval houses, Pictish wheelhouses, an Iron Age broch, a Viking longhouse and a mediaeval farmhouse.
Day 6 Papa Stour & Foula
Lost in the Atlantic Ocean, Foula, one of the Shetland Islands, is a perfect destination for birdwatching. Foula cliffs are home to numerous seabirds, including the largest colony of great skuas in Great Britain. However, birds are not the only treasure of the island. Foula is rich with folklore and history.
Another item on our bucket list today is Papa Stour, another island, which forms part of the Shetland islands.
Erosion of Papa Stour’s soft volcanic rocks has sculptured an extraordinary cliff scenery including a variety of caves, stacks, arches and blowholes, all supporting a range of marine flora and fauna.
Days 7 – 10 Faroe Islands
National Geographic Traveler had designated Faroe Islands as “authentic, unspoiled and likely to remain so”. It seems that the Nature spares no colours in “painting” the islands. Deep-green hills, bright blue sea, colourful houses and boats, orange-red puffins’ beaks make the sceneries unforgettable, meanwhile traditional wooden dwellings with turf roofs look like they belong in a fairy tale.
The rugged Faroese are proud of their Viking heritage and their love of the sea. We will explore the archipelago including Tórshavn, the capital and largest city of Faroe Islands. This would include a visit to Kirkjubøur, the ecclesiastical and cultural center of the Faroes in the Middle Ages. It was the site of the Bishop’s residence until the Reformation, when the Faroese diocese was abolished. The imposing Gothic ruin of the late 13th-century Saint Magnus Cathedral still dominates the site. The Roykstovan, standing on the wide, stone foundation of a portion of the Bishop’s palace, has been the home of farmers in Kirkjubøur for centuries and occupied by the same Faroese family for 17 generations.
Our expedition team will earch for remote areas of the archipelago to visit or pause, where we can take advantage of the ship and possibly Zodiacs to see bird cliffs and other natural wonders that are otherwise difficult to access.
Day 11 At Sea
Do not lose your time aboard. Learn more about the unique flora and fauna of the British Isles. Become a real expert in no time with our onboard lectures and briefings.
Day 12 Edinburgh, Scotland
After breakfast, disembark the Sea Spirit in Leith, Edinburgh’s vibrant port district. Farewell your fellow expeditioners and either transfer to the airport or to Edinburgh city if you wish to spend more time in the wonderful capital of Scotland.